Sparks will fly in this exhibition of weird and wonderful experiments for all ages. Make an explosion using just water, experiment with batteries and generators, magnets and plasma globes, and see if you dare touch the electric fence. All the key elements for a Frankenstein laboratory and more!

Exhibition requirements

• A gallery with about 100 sq metres of open floor space.
• Electrical power – ten plug sockets.
• The exhibition must be supervised at all times when in use, preferably by staff accustomed to working in an interactive environment.

Exhibit list

Wimshurst machine – Turn the handle to create a high voltage spark and watch it leap across the gap.Human battery – Put your hands on two different metal plates and you can create electricity.Electric fence – Dare you touch the electric fence? You’ll get a shock if you do… but you won’t die!Jacob’s ladder – This is an essential component for any mad scientist’s laboratory.Electric field – Turn the array of lights on and off just by waving your hand.Electro-magnet – Switch on the electromagnet and build a magnetic sculpture from pieces of iron.TENS machine – Try this medical device used to help relax muscles and relieve pain.Frog’s legs – Make a ‘frogs leg’ twitch to see how our nerves rely on animal electricity.Plasma Ggobe – High voltage causes these beautiful sparks and can even light a nearby fluorescent tube.Electrolysis – Turn a handle to generate electricity, use it to split water into hydrogen and oxygen then ignite the gases and watch the explosion.Static domes – Rub a cloth on the domes and make the objects inside dance.Transformer – Move the transformer coils and see have you can make electricity pass through air.Resistance – Experiment with different components to see why resistance is needed to control electricity.Switched on – Set the switches in the right order to light the target and sound a buzzer.Circuits – Place the components in a circuit and find out what happens to the electricity.